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Who: Pete Hegseth
Nominated for: secretary of defense
You might know him from: Fox and Friends Weekend Co-Host, Fox News Channel
- He faces questions about allegations of financial mismanagement, possible alcohol abuse issues and a payment to a woman after an alleged incident of sexual misconduct.
- Democrats question his qualifications to lead massive government agency.
- Members are expected to press Hegseth on his positions on women in combat.
What does this role do: The defense secretary oversees the U.S. armed forces, second only to the president as the commander in chief, and is a senior member of the Cabinet.
Pete Hegseth, the Army National Guard veteran and former Fox News host, faces a critical test in his public hearing before the Senate Armed Services committee Tuesday to serve as President-elect Donald Trump’s defense secretary.
Hegseth, 44, served in the infantry and was deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay. He was awarded two Bronze Stars and a Combat Infantryman Badge. He has vowed to reverse “woke policies” at the Pentagon and to refocus the military on readiness. He has limited management experience and reports about his role leading the Concerned Veterans for America, a conservative advocacy group, are likely to be front and center issues in the hearing.
Previous staffers at the organization have made allegations of drinking on the job, fiscal mismanagement and inappropriate conduct with staff. Former colleagues at Fox News have also alleged he acted inappropriately when he was drinking.
Early GOP concerns about drinking and allegations about behavior
In the weeks following his nomination in mid-November, Hegseth’s nomination appeared to be on shaky ground. Senate Republicans openly expressed concerns about a potential drinking problem, previous statements about women serving in combat and allegations of sexual misconduct. Some news outlets reported the transition was reviewing back up nominees for the post as the questions swirled.
Hegseth has denied an assault allegation, but he secured a nondisclosure agreement and paid the woman in a settlement, his lawyer has said. Hegseth told Megyn Kelly on her podcast in December he would forgo all alcohol if he is confirmed as defense secretary.
Hegseth’s prospects improved once Trump backed him publicly in his first post-election broadcast interview, invited him to the Army-Navy game last month and urged GOP lawmakers to get in line. In recent weeks, Trump allies targeted wavering Republicans in a pressure campaign including threats to recruit primary challengers to run against anyone who opposed him. Trump supporters have also dismissed news reports about his past behavior, saying the information has come primarily from anonymous sources.
No Senate Republican is publicly opposing Hegseth, but some like Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, have signaled that the public hearing will be crucial.
Hegseth made a point to smooth things over with Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst, an Army combat veteran who serves on the Senate Armed Services panel. Ernst appeared to have remaining concerns after an initial meeting with Hegseth. She later released a statement suggesting that Hegseth shifted his views on womens’ roles in the military. Other GOP senators said Hegseth committed to not touching alcohol if he was confirmed to the post.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has repeatedly emphasized that all of Trump’s nominees will get a fair process. He told Fox News‘ Laura Ingraham on Friday about Hegseth: “I think he’s got a path” to be confirmed.
Democrats are saying they plan to press Hegseth on a range of issues including his experience to lead a department with 3 million employees, news reports about mismanagement at a non-profit he led, and an incident of alleged sexual misconduct.
Democrats signal questions about qualifications
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said the post is “arguably the most important position in the entire Cabinet.” He said Hegseth’s background was “deeply troubling,” and he could expect the hearing to be “tough but respectful, candid but fair.”
Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., told reporters he was reviewing the questionnaire that Hegseth submitted to the panel. “The personal stuff aside — it’s a hard job; I think it’s one of the hardest jobs on the planet and I’m very interested in hearing what he has to say about his experience in his adult life, in his career that has prepared him for this position.”
Kelly noted that the Trump transition agreed to share the FBI’s background check of Hegseth with Chairman Roger Wicker and the top Democrat on the panel, Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., but he said he wanted to review it and he and other Democrats pressed for it to be made more widely available.
“There have been exceptions made in the past, and I think this is a situation where they should make an exception.”
Sen. Roger Wicker, the chair of the Armed Services panel, met with Hegseth in early December and expressed support for Trump’s nominees.
Reed met with Hegseth last week and issued a curt statement afterwards: “Today’s meeting did not relieve my concerns about Mr. Hegseth’s lack of qualifications and raised more questions than answers.” Hegseth has not met with any other Democrats on the panel.
